In The News

Can These Self-Charging E-Bike Libraries Bring Mobility to Low-Income Communities? Next City, Oct. 1, 2024 - Users can rent an e-bike for the day and return it to the same location to charge. That means that a user can ride to work, stop by the grocery store and visit friends before docking the bike – unlike with traditional bike-share, where bikes are docked at the end of each trip.

Public transit agencies eye service cuts as pandemic aid runs out Marketplace, Sept. 30, 2024 - Among the trillions of dollars approved by Congress to keep the economy afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic were about $70 billion for the country’s public transit systems.

Barcelona is turning subway trains into power stations Grist, Sept. 24, 2024 - Every time a train rumbles to a stop, the energy generated by all that friction is converted to electricity, which is fed through inverters and distributed throughout the subway system. One-third of that powers the trains; the rest provides juice to station amenities and a growing network of EV chargers.

A new bike share in Greater Boston with a twist: trunk-sized storage to do your shopping on two wheels The Boston Globe, Sept. 22, 2024 - CargoB’s electric bike, introduced to Greater Boston in May, has front storage that can hold up to 300 pounds. A pedal-assisted electric motor can propel the bikes up to 20 miles per hour. Many European markets offer cargo bike rentals, but CargoB’s launch in Boston marks the first ride share of its kind — on-demand cargo bikes stationed in publicly accessible places — in the U.S.

MBTA to Electrify its First Commuter Rail Line Planitezen, September 18, 2024 - The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will electrify the 9 mile Fairmount Line, the shortest of their 12 commuter rail lines, using battery-electric multiple units. The first BEMU trains are projected to be operating in early 2028.

Norway: Electric cars outnumber petrol for first time in 'historic milestone' The Guardian, Sept. 17, 2024 - In a bid to electrify road transport to help meet Norway’s climate commitments, Norwegian authorities have offered generous tax rebates on EVs, making them competitively priced compared with fuel, diesel and hybrid cars. Norway’s EV success is in sharp contrast to struggles seen elsewhere in Europe.

Politics or planning? The reason some states are slow to roll out EV charging stations varies Route Fifty, Sept. 16, 2024 - Colorado, Connecticut and Pennsylvania are on their third round of seeking bids to build fast chargers along major interstates. The majority of states, though, have just started to gear up. Twenty-nine states have completed one round of request for proposals.

California poised to require new cars to warn speeding drivers Smart Cities Drive, Sept. 12, 2024 - Legislation in California that would require new vehicles to warn drivers when they are going more than 10 mph over the speed limit went to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 11. He has until the end of the month to sign or veto the bill. If signed, California would be the first state in the nation to enact such a law.

Cars collect troves of data about traffic and road hazards. Should they share it? Denver 7, September 8, 2024 - The secret to avoiding red lights during rush hour in Utah's largest city might be as simple as following a bus. Transportation officials have spent the past few years refining a system in which radio transmitters inside commuter buses talk directly to the traffic signals in the Salt Lake City area, requesting a few extra seconds of green when they approach.

'Follow the dots': Speckled roads aim to improve pedestrian safety in Portland News Center Maine, Sept. 6, 2024 - A sidewalk isn't an option in one Portland neighborhood so several local groups are taking a creative approach with a series of colorful dots in varying sizes that mark a path for pedestrians. With breweries, stores, and a coffee shop bringing people to the area, there is a lot of foot traffic, which becomes dangerous when vehicles speed down the road.